


Tinsel Time

by simeysgirl



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-28
Updated: 2015-07-28
Packaged: 2018-04-11 17:54:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4446074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/simeysgirl/pseuds/simeysgirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The tree, the room, the dog: they all need decorating.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tinsel Time

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Русский available: [Праздничная суета](https://archiveofourown.org/works/9263669) by [bayern](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bayern/pseuds/bayern)



> All the thanks and Christmas goodies for G for her help with this. As usual, it wouldn't have a title or a summary without her ♥ Written for [](http://mini-fest.livejournal.com/profile)[mini_fest](http://mini-fest.livejournal.com/), 2014.

**Title:** Tinsel Time  
 **Author/Artist:** [](http://kjp-013.livejournal.com/profile)[**kjp_013**](http://kjp-013.livejournal.com/)  
 **Pairing(s):** Harry/Draco  
 **Prompt:** [Photo prompt 2014](http://mini-fest.livejournal.com/115558.html?thread=2309222#t2309222)  
 **Word Count/Art Medium:** 2850  
 **Rating:** PG  
 **Contains (Highlight to view):** * Severe lack of Draco*  
 **Disclaimer:** Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.  
 **Notes:** All the thanks and Christmas goodies for G for her help with this. As usual, it wouldn't have a title or a summary without her ♥ Written for [](http://mini-fest.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://mini-fest.livejournal.com/)**mini_fest** , 2014.  
 **Summary:** The tree, the room, the dog: they all need decorating.

Dog was bored. He couldn't believe it. Usually, he couldn't get two minutes to himself. Either Harry or Draco would be stroking him, playing with him or walking him. Maybe one of his friends would be home and he'd have to put up with their annoying antics. His favourite was the little one. Teddy would play for hours with him and Dog knew exactly how to get what he wanted from him.

Today, though, Draco was out—work, he'd heard him moaning about—and Harry had been up in the attic for ages. Teddy wasn't visiting this week and the other animals were up to something. No good, probably. Owl was out flying with her owl friend. She denied it vehemently, but Dog knew they were more than friends. Cat was out doing whatever the hell cats got up to. Dog was just glad he was out. Cats smell. But they were fun to torment.

There was no other way to describe it, Dog was simply bored. If there was no one around to annoy or play with, he thought he might as well have a sleep. Yes, he thought happily, snuggling into the sofa—the nice, white sofa he wasn't allowed on when Draco was about—a sleep would be perfect.

Dog was just dozing off when a tremendous bang had him falling off the sofa and growling at the door.

“Sorry, boy,” Harry said, smoothing Dog's head as he passed. “Didn't mean to scare you. Just dropped a box.”

Dog looked behind Harry and raised his ears in surprise. Sure enough, three huge boxes were trailing behind him, one with a tell tale smashed-in corner. His tail wagged before he could stop it. He wasn't an idiot (like a certain cat who shall remain nameless), he wasn't excited for the boxes themselves. No, it was what was poking out of the broken corner that interested Dog.

Tinsel. Shiny, sparkly, brilliant tinsel.

Yes! It was that time again. Dog couldn't stop himself pawing at the box. He loved Christmas. It wasn't the presents—a new squeaky bone was lovely, but it was the same thing every bloody year. It wasn't the food. Dog was more well fed than any dog he knew all year round, thanks to Draco. No, Dog just loved the sparkles.

Dog loved to watch while Draco put the sparkles up. He loved how passionate Draco was about the tree; how he was such a perfectionist about the placement of the sparkles. He loved the way Draco—hang on.

Draco wasn't here. Harry was here and unpacking the sparkles. Messy, clumsy Harry was going to be putting up Draco's sparkles. Dog barked a laugh. This was going to be good.

All thoughts of a nap flew from Dog's mind as he pondered the possibilities. Harry was always so easy to torment, but with the added pressure of the sparkles, it was going to be awesome. Dog's tail wagged happily and he barely even noticed. It was time to have some fun.

~

Dog resisted the urge to rub his paws together in glee as Harry wrestled the fake tree from its box. He sat on his haunches to stop himself from joining in as Harry attempted to assemble the bloody thing. He needed to be patient. He knew exactly how Draco liked his sparkles and he was going to make damn sure Harry did it wrong.

It was about time he had payback for Harry kicking him out of the bedroom last night. He had been lovely and cosy. And they hadn't gone to sleep anyway. Dog had heard them for ages, playing about while he was stuck trying to get warm again in the cold living room.

“Woo! Go me!” Harry stepped back from the now-assembled, but still wonky tree and looked at Dog. “I didn't say that. Shush.”

Dog rolled his eyes. Why Draco liked Harry was beyond him. He was a numpty. Yeah, he gave good scratches and would walk him for miles, but he was a numpty. But never mind that, he had a plan to put in action.

As soon as Harry turned back to the boxes, Dog put his evil plan into action. Moving quicker than if Draco had appeared with a steak, Dog jumped at the tree. Taking a spiky branch in his mouth, Dog wriggled the heavy tree until it toppled over.

“What? No!” Harry whirled around and sighed heavily. “Bloody dog. That took forever.”

Dog watched happily as Harry struggled to pick the tree up and put it back in place. Dog didn't even wait for Harry to turn around before pulling it back over. This earned a quiet moan of frustration and another sigh from Harry.

Harry huffed and puffed until he had the tree back in its original position. “There,” he said, ruffling Dog's ears. “Leave it alone.”

As soon as Harry turned back to the boxes, Dog once again took a hold of the tree and dragged it across the floor.

“Dog!” Harry moved forwards, as if to take the tree back when he stopped and looked thoughtful. “Hang on.”

Dog waited patiently. As much as the branches tickled his mouth, he was very much enjoying the game.

“You're right,” Harry said, clapping his hands happily. “It does look better there. Clever boy!”

Dog dropped to the floor. Bloody hell. Why did Harry have to spoil his fun? Dog's one cheery thought was that of Draco's face when he saw the tree moved from its rightful place and chucked haphazardly in the window.

~

Dog retreated back to the sofa while Harry rummaged in the boxes and then sat on the floor untangling the lights. Harry never minded him being on the sofa and he might as well get comfy. It usually took Draco ages to untangle the—in Draco's own words—Muggle piece of crap.

Harry must be some sort of light-untangling genius, as it only took him a couple of minutes before he was busy draping the lights around the tree. Right, if he wasn't having a nap, Dog was definitely going to have some fun. Time for part two.

Harry flicked his wand and soon the room was bathed in a lovely white light. Draco would love it. Not if Dog could help it. Turning on his best puppy dog eyes, Dog whined loudly.

“What's the matter, boy?”

Dog turned his eyes to the tree and whined some more. Harry looked thoughtful.

“Are you hungry?”

Dog stayed silent.

“Do you want a walk?”

Dog did, but he wanted to annoy Harry more so he stayed silent.

“Is it the tree?”

Dog whined.

“I won't be long and I'll be done.”

Dog whined and turned towards the tree again.

“Is it the lights?”

Sliding down off the sofa, Dog covered his eyes with his paws.

“Ah, is it too bright? How about this?” Harry flicked his wand and the bright white turned to a shimmering gold.

Dog whined.

Harry flicked again and changed the lights to green. Dog whined. Red. Whine. Purple. Whine. Dog didn't know what he was waiting for, but was enjoying himself nonetheless. Harry went through many colours before Dog got bored of whining. As the lights changed to blue, Dog waggled his tail happily and popped to the kitchen for a drink of water. Whining was thirsty work.

~

Feeling quite energetic and refreshed after his drink, Dog bounded back into the living just as Harry was carefully taking the baubles out of their boxes. He didn't mean to do what he did. Really, he didn't. He knew how much Draco loved his sparkly baubles. He couldn't help it, though. He just couldn't stop in time.

SMASH!

Neither Dog or Harry moved for a good couple of seconds after the box fell to the floor, the shiny glass shattering on impact.

“Shit! Bollocks! Balls!”

Dog couldn't agree more.

Whimpering, Dog scampered back.

“Watch your paws,” Harry said quickly, picking Dog up and plopping him on the sofa. “I'll clean this up. Merlin, Draco is going to kill me.”

Dog couldn't agree more.

Harry swept the glass up with his wand and banished it before checking Dog's paws for any glass. “I'm just glad Teddy wasn't here!” Harry said when he couldn't find a scratch.

Dog couldn't agree more.

“Teddy!” Harry said suddenly, cuddling Dog close—a little too close for Dog's liking. “Thanks, boy. We're definitely not using glass baubles any more.”

Dog couldn't even be bothered to mess with Harry as he transfigured bits of tinsel into gaudy, multicoloured plastic baubles. Harry was making enough of a mess of it on his own.

~

One thing Dog knew that Draco took a lot of pride in was the ribbon he artfully draped around the tree. Dog's favourite—the sparkly tinsel—was always left to adorn the banister in the hallway while Draco's (bland, if you asked Dog) ribbon had pride of place on the tree.

Watching Harry carefully position the silver ribbon around the tree made Dog bark with laughter. It didn't look too bad, actually (apart from the fact it was now completely out of place against the bright lights and colourful baubles), but Harry's face as he placed it was a picture. His tongue poked out from between his teeth and his eyebrows furrowed as he concentrated so hard.

Dog couldn't resist it. As soon as Harry stood back to admire his handiwork, Dog carefully took the trailing end of the ribbon and ran around the tree, unravelling it. By the time he was done, Dog was wrapped up neater than one of Draco's presents.

“Oh, for fuck's sake,” Harry said.

He didn't look angry though. Dog was surprised to see he looked quite amused instead.

“You're right, of course. The ribbon doesn't go with the other bits now.”

Dog slumped. Foiled again. Harry was never normally this hard to torment.

“I think I'll put the tinsel on this year. Nice and bright to go with the rest.”

Dog's eyes lit up and his tail waggled widely.

“Yep, the ribbon looks much better on you.”

Dog tried to scuttle away from Harry, but he was much too slow. Before he had time to bark, Harry had the ribbon cut off and tied neatly around his neck in a quaint little bow. Dog was mortified. He was going to be the laughing stock of the bloody street.

~

Dog was stropping on the sofa as Harry unpacked the nativity scene from its box. He'd tried and tried to get the ribbon off his neck, but to no avail. Maybe Harry was a genius with knots. He could untangle lights in seconds and, apparently, could tie strong knots too.

The nativity scene was the bane of Dog's—and Cat's—life. Every time anybody slammed the door, the shepherd would fall over and baby Jesus would roll onto the floor. Dog—or Cat—would then inevitably get told off by Draco for trying to eat the wooden doll. Dog had heard more than one argument between Harry and Draco about the bloody thing, but Draco always seemed to win out with 'it's tradition, Harry. Mother says so'.

While Draco was out and Harry was still to be annoyed, Dog decided to have some fun with it and actually do what he was always getting punished for. Besides, Harry might be happy if the thing got damaged. Happy enough to take off the bloody ribbon. Either way, it was a win for Dog.

Leaving baby Jesus in his manger for the minute (Dog would enjoy having a chew on him later), Dog picked up a king and threw him in the air, catching it with his mouth. He did the same thing with Mary, Joseph and a lamb, too. He was having fun.

So much fun, he didn't notice Harry smiling and grabbing his wand until the last second. Dropping the lamb in shock, Dog bounced back as Harry transfigured the entire scene into a Quidditch pitch, complete with flying players and balls.

“I know,” Harry said, looking at Dog, “it's not very Christmassy, but I like it.”

Dog happily batted at a player with his paw. He couldn't wait to see Draco's face when he saw it!

~

“Save the best till last,” Harry said, opening the last box with a flourish.

Dog knew exactly what was in that box and he wasn't sure if he wanted to risk playing with it. Draco's porcelain penguin. More loved than—if Harry was to be believed—Dog, Cat, Owl, Teddy or even Harry.

Draco had come home with it a couple of years ago. Dog remembered it vividly. Draco had placed it (Bartholomew, sorry) in front of the fireplace and warned both Dog and Cat (not Owl, though; she got away with everything) that the first one to touch it would spend winter in the garden with only Harry to feed them.

Dog wasn't thinking rationally though, and after an unsuccessful afternoon of trying to torment Harry, the risks were outweighed by the thought of finally seeing Harry annoyed. Creeping over to the fireplace while Harry had his back turned gathering all the boxes, Dog pushed the penguin with his nose.

It teetered, but settled back into place. Phew. He didn't want to smash it, not really. He needed Harry to pay attention, so he barked. Harry whirled around and Dog pushed the penguin gently with his paw, whining as he did so.

Harry panicked and ran over to the fireplace, reverently picking the blasted penguin up. “Nope,” he said, putting it back in its box. “You're right, boy. That penguin is no fun.”

Picking up all the boxes, Harry took them out of the room, returning only moments later with a much more colourful box with a picture of a more friendly looking penguin on the front.

“This one is much better,” Harry said, removing it from the box and putting it in Bartholomew's place. “I bought it for Arthur, but I'll get him a new one.”

Dog didn't care. He couldn't resist touching the new penguin; it looked so soft. Pushing its fake paw with his own, Dog reared back in shock. It was singing! And bloody dancing. Harry was laughing so hard he could barely stand up. Git. Dog couldn't wait for Draco to get home. He'd sort Harry out.

~

Harry, obviously finished with the sparkles, came back into the room with a cup of tea and some biscuits. No dog biscuits, though. Dog definitely wanted Draco to come home soon. He hoped Draco had had a day from hell and was just looking for someone to take it out on. Dog pawed at the ribbon tied around his neck and barked at Harry. He deserved it.

Harry had only just finished his tea when the front door slammed (and one of the Quidditch posts fell over) and Draco came in. Dog jumped up from his place on the forbidden sofa, barely able to conceal his excitement.

Draco was simply standing in the doorway, obviously in shock. Dog could see him shaking with rage. His tail wagged happily as he waited for the explosion. Maybe afterwards he'd get a walk and a biscuit for having put up with Harry all afternoon.

But Draco didn't explode and as Dog looked closer, he could see that Draco wasn't shaking in rage. He was bloody laughing! Dog was very confused, and sidled up to Draco in hopes of finding out what was actually going on.

“It...it...it...”

Harry—numpty that he was—laughed.

“It looks like a child did it!”

Dog sighed happily. Ah, here it comes...

“It's brilliant!” Draco said, smiling wider than Dog had seen him in a while. “Teddy will love it.” He walked over to Harry and kissed him quickly. “It's perfect for his first Christmas with us.”

Dog slumped to the floor, defeated.

“But,” Draco added, picking Dog up. “No dog of mine is walking around wearing this,” he said, fingering the bow around his neck.

Yes! Dog cried internally. He knew there was a reason Draco was his favourite.

“Silver clashes with his coat, Harry. You should know that.”

With a flick of his wand, Draco smiled happily and put Dog back on the floor. Dog looked at his reflection in the blank television. Perfect, gold. Now he looked even more like an idiot.

“I'll put the kettle on,” Harry said, ruffling Dog's ears as he passed.

Dog couldn't take any more and decided to just have a nap.


End file.
